Two national pro-Israel leaders had no problem agreeing during a recent community conversation at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills that the Jewish state has an image problem. The real difference of opinion they had was what to do about it.
Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, founder of The World Values Network, advocated an approach popular with many politicians: go negative. He said public relations campaigns should spotlight the hypocrisy and lies of Israel’s enemies, whether it be the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement or Hamas.
“I think we do have to go after our enemies. Is there a positive message? Yeah, of course there is, but the positive message, how much of it is going to get through?” Boteach said.
Roz Rothstein, CEO of StandWithUs, which focuses much of its resources on empowering college students to advocate on behalf of Israel, suggested drawing attention to what the Jewish state does well.
“Our message is diversity. Our message is democracy. There isn’t an apartheid state,” Rothstein said. “It is nonsense.”
The Jan. 21 discussion, “How Do We Fix Israel’s PR? A Conversation About the Future of Israel,” was moderated by Jewish Journal President David Suissa, who offered that both panelists might be right. The event was organized by Beverly Hills Temple of the Arts, StandWithUs, The World Values Network and the Journal.
Boteach is an Orthodox rabbi as well as prolific author, media personality, lecturer and former Republican congressional candidate in New Jersey. The World Values Network is an organization that concentrates on spreading positive messages about Israel and disseminating Boteach’s teachings.
“Israel has nothing to apologize for. Israel is a righteous, majestic democracy,” he said, eliciting applause from the mostly older audience of about 200 people. “It is a light onto the nations. If you don’t love Israel, you have no Jewish heart. If you are not proud of Israel, you have no American heart.”
Rothstein said criticism of the occupation of the West Bank is a tactic used by critics of Israel, citing those on college campuses who call for the eradication of the entire State of Israel, not just for the end of the occupation.
“It’s not about the West Bank. It’s not about Gaza. … If you look at maps, purists are looking at an entire map of Israel as Palestine. ‘Free, free Palestine, from the river to the sea’ is the entire State of Israel,” she said.
Over the course of an hour, the panelists denounced the portrayal of Israel in the media while reflecting on ways their respective organizations have tried to bolster Israel’s public image with tactics such as newspaper advertisements, billboards and more. Ultimately, though, the speakers said, the pro-Israel movement is fighting a difficult and, maybe, unwinnable propaganda war against opponents such as the BDS movement and those who try to delegitimize Israel by spreading the notion that Israel is an apartheid state.
Rothstein said the Jewish pro-Israel community might be fighting a difficult battle, but it is making an impact, however small it may be, toward ensuring Israel’s good standing in the world.
“The Jewish community is bright and gifted and we are not many — we are small — but we are so bright that things we do go far and wide and do make such a big difference.”
“We’re noisy,” Suissa said, agreeing.
“Take a look at the little we have done,” Rothstein said. “In the sea of things, if you take a look at it, we are being successful.”
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